Why Eni Aluko’s “Gatekeeping” Claims Risk Holding Women’s Football Back

Eni Aluko has been known to make claims about the women's game that have gone down like a lead balloon with pundits and fans alike. Many fans across both the women's and men's games have criticised her “poor punditry.”

Personally, her complaining so much that things “aren't fair or equal” is only going to destroy the women's game.

Aluko has called this weekend for women's football to be “gatekept,” reiterating her view that male pundits, such as Wright, are blocking opportunities in the game. 

This is not the first time she has made eccentric claims. Last April, she made a claim against Ian Wright, a long-time advocate for women's football. The ex-lionesses said that Wright needed to be aware of 'how much he's doing in the women's game'.

She went on to suggest that Wright’s presence has made it tougher for female pundits trying to find a spot in the industry.

Aluko claimed that there needs to be an effort to 'gatekeep the women's game in the same way the men's game is gatekept'.

This was not taken well, especially by fans. She amplified the situation after apologising to him, calling Wright "childish" for not accepting her apology and accusing him of “blocking” the broadcasting pathway for women.

Aluko claimed Wright's name is still being 'weaponised' against her by others nine months on from the saga.

However, the likes of Gabby Logan, Katie Cotes and Karen Carne,yamongth manrothers,e, have covered thmen'sn's ga,mes, so to claim it has been gatekept is factually incorrect. 

Diversity on the panel with a range of people with different experiences and levels of knowledge only adds to the punditry.

In the interview,, she said,'Last year at the Women's Lionesses final, I sat in the stands, I wasn't on ITV for the final,' Aluko said.

'Farah Williams was next to me. Farah Williams has 170 caps for England.'

The two broadcasters that had the rights, wereITV, BBC. On the BBC, you've got Ellen White, Steph Houghton and Nedum Onuoha.'

'No offence to Nedum Onouha, nothing against him, I don't know whether he played for England or not. You're on the main panel for the final for England Women.'

'Let's go over to ITV, I'm in the stands with 105 caps, so you have got two women with 290 caps, something ridiculou,s rig?t.'

'Right ITV, it's Ian Wright, Emma Hayes and Kaz Carney.'

'So out of six spots, two have gone to men, meanwhile you have got 290 (caps) sitting in the stands.'

'I have never done a final, and I am probably going to struggle to think of any woman, female pundit, who has done a men's major final.'

'I am talking about myself as a pundit, so something is not right there.'

'From my perspectiv,e we didn't go through all of that blood, sweat and tears for women to be second place in our own sport now. What are we doing?'

'The women's game should be by women, for women.'

'Male allies should absolutely support that, but when it gets to the point where you are the main character of the show, we are just repeating the patriarchal stuff we have been fighting against.'

'Whoever that upsets, that upsets.'

'Aluko added that she has not been chosen to serve as a pundit for a major men's final in 11 years of broadcasting, but admitted the "main guys should always be ahead of me".'

'However, Aluko insisted that female pundits are now "stuck" with opportunities being taken up by men in the women's game, while claiming she could "never do a men's final".'

'I can never do the men's final. The only way I have an opportunity to do a final is the women's final, and now I can't do the women's final.'

Laura Woods, who has presented men's and women's football, did not share the same view as her colleague.

Laura Woods: “The women's game should be by women for women” is one of the most damaging phrases I've heard.

It will not only drag women's sport backwards, ibut t will also drag women's punditry in all forms of the game backwards.

Caps don't win automatically,, and they don't make brilliant pundits either.

The way you communicate, articulate yourself, do your research, inform your audience, how likeable you are, and the chemistry you have with your panel are what make a brilliant pundit.

Broadcaster Laura Woods, who has worked with both Aluko and Wright, hit back at the attack on the Arsenal icon on her social media.

Wright was on hand to help Woods when she collapsed live on air ahead of the LLionesses'friendly with Ghana in December.

Woods said: “Caps don't win automatic work, and they don't make a brilliant pundit either.

The way you communicate, articulate yourself, do your research, inform your audience, how likeable you ar,e and the chemistry you have with your panel are what make a brilliant pundit.

‘Women's game should be by women for women’ is one of the most damaging phrases I've heard.

It will not only drag women's sport backwards, but it will also drag women's punditry in all forms of the game backwards.”

This response by Woods was greatly received by fans, especially the last line about Aluko's outbursts only dragging the game backwards and making women in football even less likeable.

Somehow,, all of thi,s sh, thee ex-liones,s still had more to say. She said she felt “gaslighted” by Woods' tweets and did not like the insinuation that if you're sitting in the stands and not on the screen, you don't meet at these things to make a brilliant broadcaster. Though she explained in private, Woods was very reassuringtof her. 

 Eni Aluko has claimed that 'budget cuts' were the reason ITV snubbed her and included Ian Wright as part of their coverage for last summer's UEFA Women's Euro final.

"The reason that was given to me was that 'we're cutting budget,s and we're reducing from three pundits to two, and your contract isn't the priority, Ian Wright's is.'"

To me,, it feels like she is continuing the narrative that she is the victim and has faced great injustice,, but most of the time she has brought it on herself. She has made herself unpopular with fans and therefore undesirable to broadcasters. Theydon't't want a pundit who people don't like on ;TV, otherwi,se people will not watch. She clearly has not learnt her lesson from pushing herself into the football hall of fame or this.

While there are fewer women in the men's game, saying there are none or that she would never do a final is incorrect and dangerous, as it sends a message to women that something that has happened is not possible.

To complain about women not being in men's football rather than complaining that men are taking up space in the women's game is hypocritical and a huge oxymoron. 

Also, just because you have ‘x’ amount of England caps does not automatically give you a job or mean you will be good at it.That'sss common knowled:ge capdoes not holup d wait on broadcasting quality. To grow women's football, you should not be pitting advocates of the game against each other; male allies who have played in the Premier League and are fan favourites will drive the audience.